Tree pollen carries SARS-CoV-2 particles farther, facilitates virus spread
Most models explaining how viruses are transmitted focus on viral particles escaping one person to infect a nearby person. A study on the role of microscopic particles in how viruses are transmitted suggests pollen is nothing to sneeze at......»»
Even the heaviest particles experience the usual quantum weirdness, new experiment shows
One of the most surprising predictions of physics is entanglement, a phenomenon where objects can be some distance apart but still linked together. The best-known examples of entanglement involve tiny chunks of light (photons), and low energies......»»
"Pirate birds" force other seabirds to regurgitate fish meals. Their thieving ways could spread lethal avian flu
It's not easy finding food at sea. Seabirds often stay aloft, scanning the churning waters for elusive prey. Most seabirds take fish, squid, or other prey from the first few meters of seawater. Scavenging is common......»»
Human cases of raccoon parasite may be your best excuse to buy a flamethrower
The infection is very rare, but it's definitely one you want to avoid. Enlarge / Young raccoon looking out from a tree. (credit: Getty | Camerique) If you were looking for a reason to keep a flamethrower around the house.....»»
Study shows organonitrates in atmospheric particles vary with altitude
While atmospheric particles directly affect climate (e.g., cloud formation), sampling atmospheric particles aloft is practically challenging. Therefore, a full understanding of how particle composition is linked to environmental function remains limi.....»»
Forever chemicals persist through waste incineration, researcher finds
PFAS, often called "forever chemicals," present in municipal solid waste can survive the high temperatures of waste incineration and continue to spread into the environment via residues from waste-to-energy plants......»»
Scientists in South Africa say they have identified the first known outbreak of rabies in seals
Scientists in South Africa say they have identified an outbreak of rabies in seals that is believed to be the first time the virus has spread in sea mammals......»»
Scientists say there is enough evidence to agree to global action on microplastics
Science has provided more than sufficient evidence to inform a collective and global approach to tackle the continued spread of plastic pollution, according to a new report......»»
Genetic tracing at the Huanan Seafood market further supports COVID animal origins
A new international collaborative study provides a list of the wildlife species present at the market from which SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, most likely arose in late 2019. The study is based on a new analysis of meta.....»»
First-of-its kind tool allows scientists to manipulate cells without touching them
When studying the spread of cancer or the behavior of a virus like the one that causes COVID-19, the irony is that working with these harmful pathogens requires gentleness. Especially in the case of COVID, the particles do not survive well when makin.....»»
Norway reports first cases of bluetongue disease in livestock since 2009
Norway reported Thursday dozens of confirmed and suspected cases of bluetongue, an insect-borne virus that is harmless to humans but can be fatal to sheep and other livestock, for the first time in the country since 2009......»»
New testing system uses Janus particles to rapidly and accurately detect COVID-19
The importance of testing for diseases was thrust into the limelight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us have undergone a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) or ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) test within the past four years......»»
Gene-based model predicts when Japan"s cherry buds awake from dormancy
Japan in spring is famous for its cherry blossoms, or sakura, which begin flowering in the southern region of Kyushu and blaze upwards to the remote north of Hokkaido. The most abundant cherry tree cultivar, Somei Yoshino, is the iconic symbol of spr.....»»
Greenhouse gains: Cucumbers genetic upgrade through innovative pollen tech
Genetic modification in horticultural crops, particularly within the Cucurbitaceae family, is often hindered by complex tissue culture requirements and environmental pressures such as climate change. Traditional transformation techniques, like Agroba.....»»
LHC experiments observe quantum entanglement at the highest energy yet
Quantum entanglement is a fascinating feature of quantum physics—the theory of the very small. If two particles are quantum-entangled, the state of one particle is tied to that of the other, no matter how far apart the particles are. This mind-bend.....»»
Measuring moon dust to fight air pollution
Moon dust, or regolith, isn't like the particles on Earth that collect on bookshelves or tabletops—it's abrasive and it clings to everything. Throughout NASA's Apollo missions to the moon, regolith posed a challenge to astronauts and valuable space.....»»
Public attention on the invasive lionfish helps monitor its ecological impact in real time
A new study from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) has demonstrated that public interest in the lionfish (Pterois miles), an invasive species native to the Indo-Pacific, is aiding in monitoring its spread nearly in real time......»»
Q&A: Authors discuss addressing the crisis of species loss
No oncologist would wait for a patient's cancer to spread before treating it. Similarly, waiting to detect the potential loss of a species across all its known habitats means interventions are often too late to turn the tide of extinction, according.....»»
Nuclear theorists turn to supercomputers to map out matter"s building blocks in 3D
Deep inside what we perceive as solid matter, the landscape is anything but stationary. The interior of the building blocks of the atom's nucleus—particles called hadrons that a high school student would recognize as protons and neutrons—are made.....»»
Pollen affects cloud formation and precipitation patterns, researchers find
Ground-based and satellite observations in the United States show that increased pollen concentrations in spring lead to more cloud ice and more precipitation—even at temperatures between minus 15 and minus 25 degrees Celsius......»»
Black hole pairs may unveil new particles
In a paper published in Physical Review Letters this week, physicists from Amsterdam and Copenhagen argue that close observations of merging black hole pairs may unveil information about potential new particles. The research combines several new disc.....»»